Constructing dedicated cycling routes in the city under the Smart City Mission on a pilot basis will be a reality with a 12.4-km-long project formally taking off.
The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), under the Urban Development Department, has funded the ₹6.1-crore project for which the ground breaking ceremony was performed by Mayor Premananda Shetty and MLA from Mangaluru City South D. Vedavyas Kamath at Marnamikatta here on Monday. The project will be implemented by Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. (MSCL).
According to MSCL, of the routes to be developed, 8.3 km will pass through different “onis” (lanes) and a 4.1-km route will be built on the main roads. The routes will begin from Bolara Boat Repair Yard and end at TMA Pai International Convention Centre on MG Road, passing through different stretches at different locations.
The route on the main roads will begin at Marnamikatta and end near the University College via St. Joseph College, Roshni Nilaya, Father Muller Hospital, Highland Hospital and Income Tax Office.
The route on the “onis” will begin from Bolara Boat Repair Yard, Emphasis, St. Ritas School, Cascia High School, Marnamikatta, Attavar, Manipal School, Central Railway Station, University College, Town Hall, Central Market, Car Street Flower Market, BEM School, Canara High School, Expert Tutorials, Sharada Vidyalaya, Canara College and SDM Law College.
It will connect 20 public buildings and 26 educational institutions, an MSCL official said and added that it will cover 30% of the educational institutions in the city. The routes are expected to be ready in six months from now.
The official said that no four-wheelers will be allowed on the cycling routes which will pass through only lanes.
The cycling routes will be painted and will have the required sign boards. However, on the main roads, where they will be built, they will remain as dedicated cycling routes.
Some of the other educational institutes linked will be Shree Devi College, Premakanti College of Education, Beasant Women’s College, Ganapathi High School, Milagres College, Sarojini Madhusudhan Kushe School, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, St. Gerosa School and St. Mary’s School.
Among the 20 public buildings that will be connected are Central Market, Government Lady Goschen Hospital, Mini Vidhana Soudha, Government Wenlock Hospital and MESCOM in Attavar.
